RED SOX 6, BLUE JAYS 1: Another strong start for Fister

Ken Powtak, Associated Press

Thursday

Sep 7, 2017 at 12:29 AMSep 7, 2017 at 12:31 AM

BOSTON – Doug Fister has quickly gone from a pitcher looking for a big league job right into being a key starter for a team chasing a division title.Fister gave up one run over seven innings, Jackie Bradley Jr. hit a two-run homer and drove in three runs and the Boston Red Sox beat the Toronto Blue Jays 6-1 on Wednesday night, a day after the teams played a 19-inning marathon.

The Red Sox claimed the 33-year-old Fister in June after he opted out of a Triple-A contract and was released by the Los Angeles Angels. In the last couple weeks, he’s been Boston’s best starter.

“To say that when we got him from the Angels that he would be running a streak of starts consecutively like he is, no – he’s surpassed the initial expectation,” Red Sox manager John Farrell said. “He’s doing a great job.”

It was the second straight win for the AL East-leading Red Sox, who moved four games ahead of the second-place Yankees. New York’s game at Baltimore was rained out.

Playing just 18 hours after completing a 3-2 victory that lasted six hours and ended on Hanley Ramirez’s bloop single, the Red Sox took charge with a four-run fourth that was capped by Bradley’s homer.

Fister (5-7) allowed four hits, struck out nine and walked three, improving to 3-1 in his last four starts with a 1.50 ERA.

“It’s definitely a fun time of year, being anxious for what might come,” he said. “I just continually work hard each and every day.”

During his strong four-start stretch, Fister has allowed all five of his runs in the opening inning.

Miguel Montero drew a bases-loaded walk after Fister gave up a leadoff single to Ezequiel Carrera, a double to Justin Smoak and a walk to Michael Saunders.

“He gets into the rhythm of the game. It takes him an inning,” Farrell said. “It’s been uncanny how similar the beginning of games are and how he finishes out.”

With rain starting to fall when the Red Sox came to the plate in the fourth, Xander Bogaerts halted a 3-for-33 stretch by lining an opposite field RBI triple and scored on Rafael Devers’ single. Bradley then belted his homer into Boston’s bullpen, making it 5-1.

“I thought he threw the ball pretty good early under these conditions,” Blue Jays acting manager DeMarlo Hale said of starter Joe Biagini, who was tagged for five runs in 3 1/3 innings.

“You think about the fourth inning, really the big blow was the home run. He left a changeup up to Bradley and I thought that was really the big blow of the game.”

Biagini didn’t waste time analyzing his outing.

“Bad. That’s a short answer for you,” he said. “It’s a search for consistency, consistency of release point. Just aggressiveness and all that good stuff.”

Around the bases: Farrell decided to DH 2B Dustin Pedroia with the forecast of showers to limit playing on his left knee that landed him on the DL with inflammation for nearly three weeks last month. ... The Red Sox were 4 for 4 in stolen base attempts, and improved to 29 for 32 this season against Toronto, the most steals by any club in the majors against an opponent this season. ... The Red Sox are off today. LHP Drew Pomeranz (14-5, 3.36) looks to rebound after his career-best eight-game winning streak was halted in his last start when Boston opens a three-game series against Tampa Bay at Fenway Park on Friday.